26 May A New Year and A New Beginning

Elk City, Ok — People have always said, “I’m going to change! This is my year! I’m going to do something with my life.” Usually what happens is they set the bar high, succeed for about a month or two, then fall right back to where they were before they made their desperate attempt to change. I don’t think people realize that the world and their lives are constantly changing. Change is all around us. It is not something you can just control. Life happens. What we can control is how you deal with that change. You have a choice every minute of every day to experience life with grace and understanding, or with resentfulness and anger. I have always believed myself to be able to deal with what life threw at me. I have realized in the past six months of my 28 years of life that I was fooling myself. I never really fully understood what life is all about. Sure, I think I had a good attempt at understanding, but now that I really do, it has opened my eyes to how great this life really is! God has always been apart of my life. He’s been there in the ups and downs. My mistake was in thinking that I only needed Him in those ups and downs. I was wrong. I need him every day. I have finally realized that in giving my full attention to know, love and serve the Lord in my everyday life, I gained happiness and a deep relationship with Him that I never knew possible. For the first time in my life I truly believe that I am where I am suppose to be. I gave my life to God and am trusting Him to know what is best for me. I still have a hard time believing and trusting that He knows what He’s doing, but I have to. I believe that is why we are here. If I don’t, then I am not living my life according to His word and His individual plan for me.

I sat down  thinking I was going to write the same old thing I do every year: how the winter was, how the crop is looking, what has changed or hasn’t changed. Instead I was called to write my beginning post for All Aboard Wheat Harvest a bit different this year. Anyone who has followed my family and I over these past six years already knows everything there is to know about us. A custom harvesting operation consisting of my mom, Kristy, my brother, Dan, and myself. We and many people all around the world harvest the crops that feed the world. I have a wonderful job of serving those around me. There has been heartache and tragedy, good days and bad, but the one thing that stays the same is the love I have for God and my family. Things have not been easy. The struggles are what make us stronger. This year, it is hard to say where we will be. The late April freeze has damaged wheat, storms will keep coming, we might be struggling and we might not know where we are going, but we are still here. I pray that this year’s harvest season is not only abundant, but that it brings the relationships we have closer in love and understanding. Hug those around you, tell them you love them. Life is too short not to.

There are many things I have experienced in this life already, but I have finally learned the value of life and the value of family. God really has a great plan for all of us. I am so glad that He has given me the eyes to finally see it. I don’t know where the road will lead. I don’t know if we are going to have a good harvest this year. I don’t know what trials and tribulations are ahead. But I do know, that if I continue to put all of my trust in God to lead me where I need to be, I will be taken care of.

Momma, Dan and I are ready for harvest 2016!

Be safe and God bless.

All Aboard Wheat Harvest™ is sponsored by High Plains Journal and New Holland Agriculture. Emma can be reached at emma@allaboardharvest.com.